VOLKSWAGEN VAN TAKES ON 92 IN 92 CHALLENGE FOR KIDNEY RESEARCH

A charity challenge aiming to cover 2,200 miles visiting all 92 football league clubs in 92 hours this week has chosen to drive the perfect vehicle designed to perform as a daily workhorse – a new Volkswagen Transporter panel van.

The ‘Doing The 92 in 92’ challenge is the idea of avid football fan Tim Spencer from Dorset, who was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure four years ago and now hopes to raise over £25,000 for national charity Kidney Research UK, the UK’s leading funder of research into the treatment and prevention of kidney disease, while he waits for his own kidney transplant, hopefully later this year.

Due to his current health, Tim will be undertaking the challenge with the help of a small team of friends, and will be setting off on Wednesday 18 April from Plymouth Argyle’s Home Park stadium and travelling across the UK before finishing at AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Court on Saturday 21 April.

Tim’s itinerary is available at support.kidneyresearchuk.org/support-us/92in92, plus there will be regular updates via Twitter (#92in92). In addition, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will also be inviting people to join in some fun challenges on its Facebook page during Tim’s journey with the chance to win a pair of football tickets.

To raise more funds, the challenge also includes two competitions to win an England football T-shirt signed by former England goalkeeper, Peter Shilton. Full details are available by visiting kidneyresearchuk.org/92in92. Anyone who would like to support Tim directly can also make a donation at justgiving.com/doingthe92in92.

Joe Chettleburgh, Director of Community Giving at Kidney Research UK, said: ‘With three million people in the UK at risk of kidney disease, we’re extremely grateful to Tim for the lengths to which he is going to raise money for Kidney Research UK. It’s going to be a tough challenge for him so we are especially grateful to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles for supplying a high quality van for his long and tiring journey.’

Alex Smith, Director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles added: ‘We are delighted to help this project, and as the Transporter is one of the most durable and comfortable vans to drive every day, we know Tim has the perfect vehicle for such a challenge.’